Dominican Republic Cross Cultural Mission Experience

Spiritan Campus Ministry

San Juan de la Maguana §  Duquesne students work in the town of San Juan de la

Maguana with the people of Barrio Villa Esperanza. §  A refugee community formed after Hurricane George in

1998 §  About 35 miles from the Haitian border.  §  2,500 Families §  70% of Adults do not have full time employment §  Poorest diocese in the country §  High amounts of violence and crime §  Lack of resources to prosper or advance §  No tourist attractions §  Agriculture as economic base §  High number of youth

The Spiritan Mission: Est. 2004 §  There are two parishes run out of the

Spiritan Mission in the Dominican Republic: Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Juan de Herrera, and Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza in Villa Esperanza, both in the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana 

§  The two parishes are located in the west and central region of the Dominican Republic

§  Duquesne has worked with the parish of Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza since 2008

§  Pictures feature the completed church and parish center for Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza

Spiritan Mission: Since the Spiritans arrived in 2004, many things have been accomplished at Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza (Our Lady of Hope)

•  Technology center has also prospered with the addition of a technology center fully equipped with computers and high-speed internet

§  Building of a new church and parish center

§  Creation of vocational school in the Parish Hall

§  Development of community programs, including a youth choir, youth ministry program, and basketball league

§  St. Michael’s Technical High School: Opened September 2010- Freshman class of 100

Duquesne’s Role at Nuestra Senora de Esperanza

Day Camp •  Students worked with teens in the area to run a Day Camp for 5 days for approx. 80

children each year. Each day there were arts, crafts, sports, and story times! •  Pool day, which occurs on the last day of camp, was a special treat as the children in the

barrio do not get to go swimming in a pool very often

Connecting with the People •  Duquesne students hang out with teens from the Dominican Republic almost every night,

allowing them to learn more about the Dominican culture and way of life. •  Many teens (and their families) open their homes to students from Duquesne. •  Students have the opportunity to explore the barrio with the Dominican teens, with

whom strong relationships are built.

Exploring San Juan and more….

“We go to a people not primarily to accomplish a task, but rather to be with them, live with them, walk beside them, listen to them and share our faith with them. At the heart of our

relationship is trust, respect, and love...” –Francis Libermann C.S.Sp, Spiritan Co-Founder